Lock



May 31, 1932. M, SAMBURG 1,861,140

1 LOCK Filed NOV. 8, 1928 .3 4 /4 50 l T22 "V T IN VEN TOR.y

Patented May 31, 1932 l UNITED, STATES PATENT oI-'F-CF.

lMAURICE. SAMBURG, OF BROOKLYN',k NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LOCK IVAT'ENTSHOLD- ING CORPORATION, NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORORATON F NEW v'YORK` LOCK Application filed November This invention relates to lock construction. Y

More particularly it relates to a combination controlled lock. l y

An object of this invention is to provide an improved lock ofthe character described having means for positive attachment to a screw'threaded shank and combination controlled means for preventing or permitting removal of the lock from said shank.

A .further object of .this invention is to provide a simple and highly efficient means for changing the combination of vthe lock.

Another object is to provide a rugged, compact burglar-proof lock of the character described which shall be cheap of manufacture, easy of operation and yet practical and eficient-to a high degree.

Among ythe dominant features of the invention as will hereinafter more fully appear, is that the lock may be a plied wherever a bolt or any screw threaded) member 1s available in connection with the article. or device to be locked or safeguarded, the mechanism 4being such that when in locking condition,

the device as a whole can be freely rotated about such'a'bolt or threaded member without unscrewing said device so that yforcing the same cannot be effective to break parts away to thus cause unlocking.

k@ther objects of :this invention will be in ptrt obvious and pointed out in part hereina er.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements.; and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, land of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings,'in which is shown Vone of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention: n

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a lock; embodying the invention.

Fig.- 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is av cross-sectional View taken on line k3--3 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional viewgtaken kon line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the position lof s, 192s. serial No.`317,94o.

the parts of the lock when the latter is set with the proper combination;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional Viewy similar to Fig. 4 showing the position of' the parts with the lock set to the proper combination and 55 t-he splining mechanism actuated;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing the position of the parts with tinlock set for changing the combination.; an

Fig. 7 is a partial top plan view of the lock 60 with parts of the cover broken away to show the interior construction.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 10 des-y ignates a lock embodying the invention. ,Said lock generally described, comprises a nut member 11 havingan internally threaded portion 11a, housed within a cylindrical casing 12, and mechanism 13 also housed within said casingfor splining said nut to said'casing. The splining mechanism 13 is controlled by lcombination mechanism 14. As will more' fully appear hereinafter,` the nut 11 may be splined to the casing 12 only when the proper combination is set, the entire L75 mechanism thereafter acting asan integral nut for screwing on or unscrewing from any suitable threaded shaft (not shown). Once the lock has been attached tosuch a shaft, the nut may be unsplinedr from the casing. The v combination may then be upset and the casing can thereafter be turned in any direction without unscrewing the nut v11. Thus the device cannot thereafter be removed without setting the proper combination or vunlocking with key to permit thesplining movement.

Proceeding now with the more detailed description of the device, the nut 11 is seen to comprise a cylindrical portion 15 and an outwardly eXtending annular flange 16 loosely fitting the interiorpsurface 17 ofsaid casing 12. An annular ring 18 may be interposed between the cylindrical portion 15 of the nut 11 and the casing 12, said ring being secured to said casing in any suitable man ner,'as by screws 19. Said ring 18 abuts the flange 16 to retain the nut 11 in the casing.

The abutting` surface 20 of said flange and Aring may be formed with complementary annular grooves 21 receiving ballbearings 22 to ensure smooth relative rotation between the casing and the nut.

A portion of the nut 11 at the langed end thereof is formed with a smooth central bore 25 communicating with the threaded opening 11a. The flange l16 is also formed with a transverse groove26of rectangular crosssection intersecting the bore 25.

The mechanism `1.3.for spliningthe nut 11 0 to casing. .12.includesa member 27 comprising a cylindrical or tubular portion 2S coaxial with the casing 12 and terminating an annular flange 29 fitting the interior surface 17 of said casing. Saidmember 27 is :V5 fixed to casing 12 as by screws 30 extending thru casing 12 andilange 29. `Said flange 2S)y is provided withla transverse groove 31 of rectangular cross-section similar to groove 26vin -flange 16, but substantially twice as .w deep as said groove r26.`

The cylindrical portion 28 of member 27 Lterminates in a reduced portion 32 ending a short distance from'an end-wall 33 formed integrallyvwithl said casing 12.

er Said member 27 is formed with an axial bore 35 extending therethru wherein is mounted `for rotation within said bore 35, cylindricalrod V36 having an endportion 37 extending beyond said reduced portion 32.

fau An actuatinghandle 38 for rotating said rod `36 is mounted lon said endportion 37 by a pin SQeXtendingthrusaid end portion and thru a collar portion 40 formed integrally iwithsaidrhandle.

a5 The oppositeendportion 41 otsaid rod 36 extends across groove v31 and .into bore 25 fformed inthe nut 11, and is `formed with a shallow helicalperipheral-groove 42. Loosely mounted onsaid end portion 41 is a key or 4; spline member 43 of rectangular cross-section, and substantially litting within the groove 31 formed in flange 29. The width of said'key 43 is substantially equalto the depth offjsaidlgroove 31,to permit relative rotation 4a between flange-29 and flange 16. Said key member 43 ismounted for axial movement on sa1d;rod-36. Totlns end said key 43 is provided with a small ,projection 44 extending intosaid helical groove. It will now be apparent that rotation of the rod 36, kby actuationof'handle 38, Will shift thekey to the left or rightdepending uponthe direction ot rotation-of said handle. Vhen grooves 31, T26 are aligned, clockwise rotation othandle 151i 138 as seen in fFig. 3 willmove the kcv 43 to y f that just-described will movethe key to the yprojections 76. vformed with teny of said projections 76 bearleft until it is entirely contained in groove 31 and thus said key clears the flange 16. In this position the nut 11 cannot be removed from a screw threaded shank to which it may be secured since said nut cannot be rotated forthe unscrewing movement.

The combination control mechanism 14 for preventing rotary movement of rod 36 and for releasing said rod for actuation, is housed withiny the casing 12. Access to said mechanism and to handle 38 for manipulation may be had thru a door member forming part of casing 12. Said door member 50 comprises a substantiallysemi-cylindrical portion 51 and an end Wall portion 52 flush with end wall 33 of the casing and forming part thereof, and preferably hinged tothe casing along a longitudinal edge k53 of the semicylindrical portion of said door. A small protuberance 54'on the surface of the casingfedge 55 adjacent the edge 56.of the door opposite to the hinged edge 53, provides friction means for maintaining `said door shut.

Mounted` 'on the reduced portion r32.01? cylindrical member`28 is an annular member having a flange 61 extending from said member toward end'fwall 33 of the casing. Said flange is in the plane of the handle 38, but is shaped to an arc of only about 120 thus permitting limited rotation of said handie.- Said member 60 is secured to casing 12 in any suitable manner (not'shown).

The handle 38 may be provided .with a projection62 extending toward member 60.

Said projection 62 is notched asa-t -63 to serve as an' index forthe combination numbers as will hereinafter appear. A small circular plate springi64A may be` securedat one end portion 65, as by rivet (55a, to the member 60, adjacent lange'l. Said spring extends between handle 38 and said annular member 60 andterminates in an extension projection 67 having an edge68 adjacent the handle 38'wh'en said handle is in a central position as shown in full lines in Fig.--3. Said proj ectionv 67 y prevents counterclock- -Wise rotation' (looking at Fig. 3) of the' handle 38 except when the linger pressure applied to extension 66 movesithev spring 64, and consequently the projection G7 formed therewith, toward the annularmember 60to enablesaid handle to clear said projection.

Loosely mounted for rotation on the tubular member 28 yare three similar rings 70. Interposed betweensaid rings may be washers 71 provided with lugs received in a longitudinal keyway 73 formed in the outer surface of tube 28; Said rings 7() andwashers 71 extend between annular member 60 and flange 29. Mounted on ring members 7() are similar wheels 75 formed with spaced radial Each Wheel is preferably ing thek ten digits/consecutively. "Rotating the wheels 7 5 will obviously change'the combination offmembers in alignment vwith index 63 when the handle 38 is centrallyposi-y tioned. 'e f Means is provided Vfor yreleasably locking4 peripheral surface of tube 28, vto permit ro-` tation of rings 70 with respect to said tube (see Fig. 4)'. Each of rings 70 is formed with a notch 79 in the inner periphery thereof, substantially similar in cross-section to groove 77. Thus when all three rings are in such position that the three notches 79 are in alignment with slot 776 and groove 77, rotation oi-rod 36 is possible since the pin 77a simply slides upwardly intosaid notches Yas seen in Fig. 5. Washers 7l are notched similarly to rings 70 in alignment with slot 776, as at 80, to permit this movement of the pin 7 7 a.

f Means l is provided for releasably locking said rings 70 to wheels 7 5. To thisend said rod 36 is formed with a longitudinal groove 78 substantially diametrically disposed to groove 77. The cross-sectional curvature of said groove 78 conforms to the vcurvature of apin 7 8a overlapping said rings 70 and slidably received in a slot 786 formed in said tube 28. The diameter of saidV pin 7 8a is substantially equal-to the thickness of tube 28. (See Figs. 4 and Said pin 78a is adapted to coact with small pins 8l mounted in each of rings 70 for radial sliding movement. Each pin8l comprises a head portion 82received in a radialcylindrical recess 83' formed in each of said rings,rr and a shank portion 84 received Y in an opening 8f3-'communicating with each yof said recesses. Light compression springs 86 are interposed between said heads 82 and the bottom walls 87 of said recesses 83. Thewheels 75 areeach formed with a sinuvous innerv peripheral portion 88 providing notches 89 aligned with each projection 76, rand kshaped to receive the heads l82 of pins 8lfwhen the pin 7 8a is forced into slot 786,

asseenyin Figs. 4 and 5. The angle between recess 83 and note-h 79 in each ring 70 is equal to the angle between slots 776 and 786; so that when notches 79 are aligned with slots 77 6., pins v8l will be aligned with slots 786.

TheV operation of the device will now be described. Beg-inning with the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 4, the handle 38 is therel shown in central position. In this position the head 82 of each pin 8l projects into a notch 89 oi each wheel 75 and thus the wheels 75 are all locked to rings 7 0 thru said pins 81. Rotation of said locked wheels and f rings is now permitted since groove 77 is aligned with 4slot 776 and therefor receives a portion of pin 77a. Such rotation of the wheels brings dierent combination of numbers in alignment with notch 63 in handle 38. The true combination is arrived at when the notches 79 are all in alignment with slot 776; This combination must be known by the user of the lock. The wheels 75 are set for the true combination of numbers as described above, the handle 38 may be rotated in a clockwise direction, bringing the parts Jfrom the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5. During this movement the pin 7 7a is yforced out of groove 77 and into the groove formed by the aligned notches 79 and 80. This movement of the handle 38, of course, causes splining of nut l1 to the casing l2 as is explained in detail above. To carry out this splining movement it may be necessary to rotate the casing relatively to the nut so that grooves 26, 3l register. .'lVhen the parts have been splined the casing and nut may be screwed on or off a suitably threaded shank, such as a bolt shank, to'lock" any parts together that may be bolted together. Tov prevent the nutr from being removed, the handle 38 is moved back tothe central position to unspline the casing from the. nut, and the wheels are moved in any 'f direction to upset the true combination. Rotation of the casing by anyone does not aifect the nut which consequently cannot be unscrewed.

The true combination for removing the lock may be changed. To this end, the spring 64 is pushed toward annular member 60 for applying pressure to the end portion 66 of spring 64 until projection 67 clears the hane dle 38. The handle may then be turned in counterclockwise direction bringing the parts from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 6. The wheels must rst be set for the old true combination of numbers (Fig. 4) before the new true combination may be set, since handle 38 cannot be rotated at all unless notches 79 are aligned with slot 776.

, in the positionv shown in Fig. 6, groove 78 is aligned with slot 786 and pins 8l to permit wheels 75 to be turned with respect to ring 70. During such rotation the curved portions 90 of the wheel 75 between the notches 89 may force the pins 8l into slot 786 against the pressure of compression springs 86. This action is possible since the pins 8l may now force the pin 78a into groove 78, a sutlicient distance to ypermit bringing the outer portions of heads 82 in alignmentwith the outer peripheral surface of rings 70.-

1iis' During this rotation ot' wheels 75, the rings 70 are locked to tube 2S since pin kT ahas been forced out ofgroove 77 and into notches '(9, and 80. The wheels may now `be set at the new desired combination of numbers. When thisis done, the handle 38 is moved back to the central position of Fig. 4, and the wheels are again locked to the rings 70.

vIt will be understood that any number of wheels and col'nplementary rings may be used, three of each being here shown for the purpose of illustration only.

Means other than combination mechanism may of course be used to control the movements of rod 36.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made ofthe above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a lock, in combination, a housing, an internally threaded member mounted within said housing for relative rotation thereto, and means for releasably locking said member to said housing, said means including-a key and a member having a helical groove engaging said key for axially moving said key as said grooved member is rotated.

2. In a lock, in combination, a housing, an internally threaded member mounted within said housing for relative rotation thereto,

`means for releasably locking said member vto said housing, said means including a key and a member having a groove engaging said key for axially moving said key as said groove memheris rotated, and combination mechanism for controlling rotation of said member.

3. Ina lock, in combination, a casing, an internally threaded member mounted within said casing for relative rotation therewith, and means for releasably locking said member to said casing, said means including a key transversely disposed relative to said member, and a member coaxial with said threaded member having a groove engaging said key Lt'or longitudinally moving said key -upon rotating said grooved member.

4. In a lock, in combination, a casing, a screw threaded nut member mounted on said casing for rotation thereon, said member being provided with a transverse groove, a grooved member secured to said casing, a key member movably received within said grooves, and combination Vmechanism within saidf casingA for controlling Imovementfof said key member.

5. `In -alock,fin combination, a cylindrical casing, a. nut member mounted for ,rotation within said casing, said member being ,provided with a 1vtransverse groove, a grooved member secured ,to said casing, a `key -member receivable Within said grooves,.means for movingsa-id key member `with relation to said groovestorkey-said ,nut member to said easing for rotation therewith, and combinationmechanism ffor controlling the operation of said moving means.

6. In a `lock, in combination, acaSing, a member mounted for rotation withinsaid casing,- said member beingprovided Withfaatrans- 4verse groove, amember transversely-disposed withrespeet to lsaid casingsecuredto said casing, ksaid member having a groove parallel to and registering with ksaid first groove, a

key member receivable within said grooves, a member coacting withfsaid key member for movingsaid key member transversely .within said grooves and axially -of said Lcasing to key said first member tosaid casing for 1rotation therewith, and vcombination mechanism' 'for controlling the operation of said secondmentioned-member.

7 In a lock, infcombination, a cylindrical cas1ng,.a nut member mounted for rotation within said casing, said nut member being provided with a transverse groovea grooved lmember secured to said casing, a key member receivable rwithin said grooves, and a helically grooved member coacting with said key member for longitudinally moving'sa'id key member with respect to Isaid grooves to key said nut to said casingfor rotation therewith, said grooved member forming a bearing for rotatably mounting said helically grooved member coaxially with said casing.

8.. In a lock, in combination, a cylindrical casing, a nut member mounted for rotation within said casing, said nut member being provided with va transverse groove, a -grooved member secured to said casing, akey member receivable in said grooves, a helically grooved member coacting with said key member for longitudinallymoving said key member with respect to said grooves Ito key said nut to said casing for rotation therewith, said grooved member forming a bearing for rotatably mounting said helically grooved Imember coaxiallywithsaid casing, and actuating means attached to saidhelically grooved member at one end thereof.

9.. In a lock, in combination, a cylindrical casing, a rnut member mounted for rotation within said easing, said nut member .being provided with a. transverse groove, agrooved member. secured to said casing. a key member receivably in said grooves, a helically grooved member coacting with said key member forlongitudinally moving said key member with respect to said grooves ,to lkey vsaid ber coaXially With said casing, actuating means attached to said helically grooved member at one end thereof, and combination controlled mechanism mounted on said grooved member between said actuating means and said spline for preventing operation of said actuating means. f

l0. In lock construction, in combination, a cylindrical casing having an open end, a memberrotatably mounted Within said cas ing, means secured to said casing for preventing removal of said member thru said open end, means Within said casing for keying and unkeying said member to said casing, and

combination controlled mechanism Within said casing for preventing and permitting said keying and unkeyingoperation.

l1. In a lock, in combination, a housing, a member rotatably mounted Within said housing, and formed with a groove, a member fixed to said housing formed With a groove registering With said first groove, said second member having a tubular portion, a key Within said grooves adapted yto key said members together and means for moving said key into keying position, said means comprising a shaft journalled Within said tubular portion and means on said shaft for moving said key as said shaft is rotated.

12. In a lock, in combination, a housing, a member rotatably mountedwithin said housing, and formed with a groove, a member fixed to said housing formed with a Vgroove registering With said first groove, said second i member having a tubular portion, a key With- Y housing, and formed With a groove, a member fixed to said housing and formed With a groove registering with said first groove and having a tubular portion, a key Within said grooves adapted to key said members together and means for moving said keyinto Y,

keying position, said means comprising a shaft journalled Within said ytubular portion,

' means on said shaft fory moving said key-as s said shaftV is rotated, a handle fixed to said shaft for rotating the same, and means yfor limiting the angular movement of said'handle.v i

14. In a lock, in combination, a housing,

. a member rotatably mountedvvithin said housing, and formed With a groove, a member fixed to said .housing` formed With a groove registering With said first groove, and having a tubular portion, a key Within said grooves adapted to spline said members together and means for moving said key into keying position, said means comprising a shaft journalled Within said tubular portion, means on said shaft for moving said key as said shaft is rotated, said portion having a longitudinal slot therein, said shaft having a longitudinal groove formed therein, and a pin moimted Within said slot and having a portion partially received Within the groove in said shaft for locking said shaftto said portion.

l5. In a lock, in combination, a housing, a member rotatably mounted Within said housing, and formed With a groove, a member fixed to said housing and formed With a groove registering with said first groove, and having a tubular portion, a key Within said grooves adaptedy to spline said members together and means for moving said key into keying position, said means comprisin a shaft operatively associated WithV said ey and journalled Within said tubular portion, a plurality of rings on said tubular portion, said portion having a longitudinal slot therein, said shaft `having a longitudinal groove formed therein, each of said rings having a notch formed on the inner periphery thereof, and a pin mounted Within said slot and having a portion received Within said last mentioned groove for locking said shaft to said portion, When said rings are positioned with said notches unaligned With said slot, said pinv being movable upon positioning said rings for aligning all of said notches With said slot, out of said groove and into said valigned notchesl to permit rotation'of said shaft With respect Vto said portion, and to lock said rings to said portion.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature. MAURICE SAMBURG. 

